Switzerland 2014

Immensee is a small village in the Kussnacht district of Switzerland with beautiful views to the lakes and mountains of the region. A recent development plan has asked Haber Stroh, Silvester Fuller, Kopper Roth, and allard architecture to design four different homes.

The use of a thick masonry base insulates the lower storey for private use, while a light wooden construction exposes the upper storey to natural light for public use. In this particular project, the light wooden storey has been rotated so that it faces north south. This optimizes light intake and breaks up the floor so that each zone frames a different view. The roof has also been angled in order to provide maximum light intake and minimize shadows on the terrace.

The masonry base is carved out on the south side in order to provide more sun exposure into the lower stories. The wooden structure above is protected from glare with louvers on the south side and exposed to indirect light and views towards the lake on the north side. Even the pool, which is located on the west side, gets afternoon sun, which reflects light into the home at the most crucial point of the day.